1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high bay fluorescent light fixture. More particularly, the invention provides a high bay light fixture having a compact design in which the reflector/refractor is supported by a socket mounting plate assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various light fixture designs used in high bay applications use a collar to attach a reflector/refractor to a fixture assembly. However, the use of a collar requires more vertical space between the light fixture and the reflector as well as causing higher manufacturing and assembly costs. This cost, in turn must be passed on to the consumer of the light fixture.
In view of the deficiencies in the known high bay light fixtures it is apparent that a light fixture is needed eliminating the use of a collar and having a compact design, good illumination characteristics, as well as easy assembly.
It is an object of the present invention to have a high bay fluorescent light fixture with a compact mounting plate design.
It is a further object of this invention to eliminate the need for having a collar to support a reflector/refractor.
It is still an even further object of this invention to support the reflector/refractor from the socket mounting plate assembly.
More particularly the invention comprises a high bay compact fluorescent light fixture, having a reflector/refractor with a first end and a second larger end, a socket mounting plate assembly having a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one sidewall, each of the at least one sidewall connecting the top portion and the bottom portion, the top portion having a ledge around a peripheral edge and an upper bracket attaching the reflector/refractor to the socket mounting plate assembly, a plurality of substantially equidistantly spaced sockets depending from the socket mounting plate assembly, and a ballast housing removably attached to the top portion of the socket mounting plate assembly having a plurality of lamp powering ballasts therein in electrical communication with the plurality of sockets.
The high bay compact fluorescent light fixture of the present invention has a socket mounting plate assembly with vertical sidewalls and at least one upper bracket extending from the at least one sidewall through the top portion. The upper bracket and the ledge retain the reflector/refractor to the socket mounting plate assembly. Alternatively, the socket mounting plate assembly may have angled or bevelled sidewalls. The at least one sidewall is comprised of a plurality of brackets.
The high bay compact fluorescent light fixture has a plurality of sockets mounted in a plane which may be normal to the socket mounting plate assembly. The high bay compact fluorescent light fixture has a reflector/refractor which may be acrylic and translucent.
Alternatively, the high bay fluorescent light fixture may or may not have a socket mounting plate assembly of unitary construction. If a non-unitary construction is used the high bay compact fluorescent light fixture may further comprise a retaining clip for holding the bottom portion against a peripheral edge of the angled or beveled sidewall.
All of the above outlined objectives are to be understood as exemplary only and many more objectives of the invention may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore, no limiting interpretation of the objectives noted are to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and drawings included herewith.